Head of Commercial Compliance and Investigations
This is a high-profile role, advising Ministers and Senior Officials on commercial non-compliance against the Procurement Act 2023. As a member of the Commercial Strategy, Standards and Oversight team (SCSO) within Strategy Assurance and Standards, you will lead on the delivery of the Cabinet Office Procurement Compliance Service, influencing commercial operations influencing commercial practice across a spend profile of approximately £300bn per annum.
As Head of Commercial Compliance and Investigations you will be responsible for implementing the government’s procurement oversight commitment as set out in part 10 of the Procurement Act. This Act will introduce the biggest changes to how public sector organisations buy goods and services for a generation!
You will report into the Deputy Director, work alongside a team of 13 within the PRU and a team of 33 across SCSO with access to a pool of subject matter experts. You will be responsible for one Commercial Lead as a direct report and have the opportunity to apply your industry and procurement knowledge alongside your refined leadership, investigatory and stakeholder management skills to support the Cabinet Office central commercial teams in improving commercial capability of the public sector contracting with suppliers whilst reducing the risk of legal challenges.
Preparations in the run up to October 2024 will include agreeing the operating relationships with the Cabinet Office central commercial teams, government departments and other interested parties such as Cabinet Office Legal Advisors, Serious Fraud Office and National Security teams. You will lead the creation of flexible resourcing arrangements, procedures, templates, process maps and guidance covering triage, risk profiling, investigations, independent reviews, writing ministerial submissions and management of recommendations through to overseeing remedial action.
Following implementation, you will leading the resourcing, coordination and oversight of complex, far reaching and politically sensitive systemic or institutionalised non-compliance investigations having oversight of pan public sector contracting authorities. You will also work closely with other government departments, ministers, senior officials and devolved administrations.
If you are passionate about joining an organisation with a vision and drive to be the “best Commercial Function in the UK”, are outcomes driven, conscientious, enjoy working collaboratively and passionate about continuous improvement the Strategy Assurance and Standards team is for you.
You will be a senior leader within the Cabinet Office, playing an active role in the Strategy, Assurance and Standards Management Team through leading, managing, supporting and coaching more junior team members; developing and enforcing Cabinet Office Commercial Policies and Governance arrangements across our area of work.
You will lead the creation of the new procurement oversight system and therefore work closely with the Cabinet Office policy team, central commercial teams, the cabinet office legal advisors, departments, arm’s length bodies and the wider public sector to ensure the process is fit for purpose under the new regime. There will be a significant amount of stakeholder engagement and cross working with the Head of Debarment and Investigations, The Heads of Commercial Standards as well as the Head of the Procurement Review Unit Portfolio Office. You will maintain the integrity of the procurement regime and ensure contracting authorities act in line with our international obligations including under the World Trade Organisation’s Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA).
A key part of the role is to create, oversee and utilise a pool of independent subject matter experts to either form the investigation team and / or be utilised to advise on recommendations following an investigation. As a senior member of the Strategy, Assurance and Standards team you will also work in an agile fashion across the management team.